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The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 14:31
by Revelations
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will not be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize next week.
DECEMBER 4, 2019
The traditional press conference with the Nobel Prize winner has been removed from the program this year. With few exceptions, this has not happened since the beginning of the 1990s, when press conferences became a permanent entry on the Nobel program, says Nobel director Olav Njåstad to NTB.
According to Njåstad, the press conference is closed because Ahmed arrives late on the afternoon of December 9, the day before the Nobel ceremony itself. But the Peace Prize winner has also said no to TV interviews with NRK, the BBC and Al Jazeera.
A large international press goup is usually present at the awards ceremony. This year, two journalists from Ethiopia are currently accredited. In addition, Ethiopians in exile may have applied for accreditation from news media in other countries, according to Njåstad.
- Avoid difficult questions
Abiy Ahmed received the Peace Prize because in his first half as prime minister he managed to make peace with neighboring Eritrea after decades of conflict and accelerated democratization in Ethiopia.
But since then, nothing has happened, according to professor and Ethiopia expert Kjetil Tronvoll.
- He doesn't have much to brag about after his first six months, he says.
During the past six months, the Eritrea process has stalled, while unrest in Ethiopia has risen to new heights.
- There are great tensions in Ethiopia, as great as it has hardly ever been, says Tronvoll.
By not meeting the press, Ahmed avoids having to answer difficult questions about the peace process, about the unrest in Ethiopia and what the growing fragmentation in Ahmed's own party could entail, he points out.
“The most important thing is that ordinary Ethiopians now feel an increasing degree of insecurity and uncertainty. They do not trust that the state is strong enough to secure them, says Tronvoll.
https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/fredsp ... e/71890433
Translation by Google
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 14:42
by Maxi
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 14:56
by Revelations
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 15:33
by Revelations
Peace Prize winner avoids questions
December 5, 2019
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is grappling with some awkward challenges just days before the man they selected to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize arrives in Oslo. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has made it clear he won’t attend any event where he could publicly be asked questions, either by the press or even children, and the committee finds that “highly problematic.”
A photo and information about this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed Ali is already in place at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo. He’ll open a new exhibition at the center next week, but in what’s called a “closed” event. PHOTO: Nobel Peace Center
“The Nobel Institute and the Nobel Committee wishes Abiy Ahmed had said ‘yes’ to meeting Norwegian and international press,” Olav Njølstad, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute and secretary for the committee that annually awards the Peace Prize, told Norwegian Broadasting (NRK).
“We have been very clear about this and have clarified that there are several reasons we find this (Abiy’s refusal to go along with the Nobel Institute’s program) highly problematic,” Njølstad said.
Abiy’s decision to avoid any events in which he’d need to answer questions has thus resulted in a highly amputated program for the “Nobel Peace Prize Days” that should have begun in Oslo on Monday December 9. Events traditionally kick off with meetings at the Nobel Institute with committee members and a large press conference with the Peace Prize winner that’s broadcast live. For the first time in many years the Nobel press conference has been cancelled, as have traditional in-depth interviews usually conducted by NRK, the BBC and Al Jazeera.
Nor will Abiy attend a large outdoor peace rally scheduled for just before Tuesday’s award ceremoney that’s always held on December 10, the anniversary of prize benefactor Alfred Nobel’s death. The rally is organized annually by the Norwegian chapter of Save the Children (Redd Barna), at which Norwegian school children have been able to pose questions to the Nobel Peace Prize winner themselves. That event is also usually attended by members of the Royal Family and it will still be held, but without the guest of honour.
Avoiding questions throughout entire stay in Oslo
Abiy’s staff has told Njølstad that the Ethiopean leader will appear before the press with the Norwegian prime minister after their traditional meeting the day after the Peace Prize is awarded, on December 11, but only to deliver a statement. He reportedly won’t take any questions. Even the official opening of the new exhibit at the Nobel Center, and his tour of it, has been listed as an event closed to the press and public.
Asked why Abiy wasn’t going along with the Nobel Institute’s program that’s planned long in advance, Njølstad replied that he thought “it may have partly to do with the challenges he faces at home (in Ethiopia) and with his religious beliefs and personal humility.”
Njølstad initially seemed to offer excuses for Abiy’s looming absence from Nobel events, telling Norwegian news bureau NTB that Abiy would be arriving “too late in the afternoon” of December 9 to attend what’s usually an afternoon press conference. Njølstad later told NRK that the Nobel program has become steadily more extensive in recent years and sitting government leaders can’t devote as much time to Nobel events as many others can. Njølstad also noted that Abiy leads a country with “much bigger economic, social and political challenges” than those faced by, for example, US President Barack Obama when he won the Peace Prize in 2009.
Njølstad noted that Abiy will be in Oslo twice as long as Obama was 10 years ago. He thinks critics should nonetheless be careful in their response to Abiy’s refusal to answer questions, even though the Nobel Committee itself wishes he would.
Peace Prize-winning efforts have stalled
Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this autumn because of how he was able, shortly after winning government power, to initiate a peace pact with neighbouring Eritrea after decades of conflict. He also launched efforts to speed up democracy in Ethiopia itself. Kjetil Tronvoll, a Norwegian professor who has specialized in following Ethiopia over the years, notes, however that Abiy “doesn’t have much to boast about” from the period after his first six months in office.
“There is now great tension in Ethiopia, as great as it’s ever been,” Tronvoll told NTB. He said the peace process with Eritrea has slowed while unrest within Ethiopia is reaching new heights. That’s reflected in messages sent out recently by Abiy’s opponents who are keen to hold protest rallies in Oslo next week. They want “to hold Abiy Ahmed accountable” for a recent wave of ethnic and religious violence in Ethiopia. Abiy’s supporters, meanwhile, have reportedly called those taking part in any demonstrations against Abiy “unpatriotic” and “jealous” of his prize.
Tronvoll notes that by refusing to meet the press in Oslo, Abiy will be able to avoid difficult or uncomfortable questions about the peace process that won him the Nobel Peace Prize, about the current unrest, and about what increased fragmentation within Abiy’s own party can mean.
‘Rising insecurity and uncertainty’ in Ethiopia
“The most important thing right now is that ordinary Ethiopians are feeling a rising degree of insecurity and uncertainty,” Tronvoll told NTB. “They don’t rely on the state being strong enough to protect them.” He stressed that Ethiopia is currently deeply split between those supporting Abiy’s calls for national unity and those favouring ethnic autonomy. Some opponents are calling his Peace Prize “Bloody Nobel” even before it’s awarded.
It all indicates that the Norwegian Nobel Committee has once again made a problematic choice, just as the choice of Obama was, the ceremony occurring while the now-disputed Nobel prize winner from Burma/Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi is in The Hague to defend her government’s handling of ethnic violence and genocide against the Rohingya muslim minority. Many have claimed she should be stripped of her Peace Prize, but no Peace Prize can be revoked.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 15:41
by Revelations
Very shameful and embarrassing to say the least when someone is afraid of the press which he so much craved before and now even fears children's questions.
Peace Prize winner avoids questions
December 5, 2019
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is grappling with some awkward challenges just days before the man they selected to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize arrives in Oslo. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has made it clear he won’t attend any event where he could publicly be asked questions, either by the press or even children, and the committee finds that “highly problematic.”
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 16:51
by Revelations
Wazema Radio ዋዜማ ሬዲዮ
3) ጠቅላይ ሚንስትር ዐቢይ ኖቤል ሽልማትን ሲቀበሉ ጋዜጠኞች ጥያቄ የሚያቀርቡበት ፕሮግራም እንደማይኖር የኖቤል ኮሚቴ አስታውቋል፡፡ ዐቢይ ፕሮግራሙ ላይ እንደማይቀርቡ ለኮሚቴው አሳውቀዋል- ብለዋል የኖርዌይ ዜና ምንጮች፡፡ ከሽልማቱ በኋላ ኖርዌያዊያን ሕጻናት ለሚያቀርቡላቸው ጥያቄዎችም ዝግጁ አይደሉም፡፡ የተሸላሚው አቋም ለአሠራሩ ችግር እንደፈጠረበት ኮሚቴው ገልጧል ተብሏል፡፡ የሽልማት ስነ ሥርዓቱ በመጭው ማክሰኞ በኖርዌይ ኦስሎ ይካሄዳል፡፡
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 16:59
by Revelations
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 17:06
by Za-Ilmaknun
That is bizarre ! How would one forgo such huge press opportunity? The answer lies in the silence, probably.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 17:20
by Zmeselo
He should've refused the Nobel, altogether. They should shove it & their questions, too.
And, Kjetil Tronvoll is a paid weyane agent.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 17:34
by opmerc
This is so stupid. He is an active head of state in a country with many pressing issues that need his attention. He skips actually important UN meetings to stay home because of this. Should he carve time out of this insane schedule to go do PR tours for the Nobel committee?
This clearly has nothing to do with 'answering questions' he just ruined the program they arranged and now they are sore about it and whining.
If they wanted a show monkey to dance on command, they should have went to a circus.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 17:36
by DefendTheTruth
Revelations wrote: ↑05 Dec 2019, 15:41
Very shameful and embarrassing to say the least when someone is afraid of the press which he so much craved before and now even fears children's questions.
Peace Prize winner avoids questions
December 5, 2019
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is grappling with some awkward challenges just days before the man they selected to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize arrives in Oslo. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has made it clear he won’t attend any event where he could publicly be asked questions, either by the press or even children, and the committee finds that “highly problematic.”
Send Eskinder Nega to petition the committe to revoke the prize altogether, that way everything will be solved.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 17:50
by Cigar
That is very smart of PMAA if the news is legit.
This prestigious award deserving might be, the media rather than focusing on his peace initiatives, they will digress from the agenda they will try to ask him about the current situation of Ethiopia which is happening after he was chosen to be the recipient of the award and make a mockery of the venue.
That day is about him not about promoting the function of the Nobel Peace organization.
Actually, he shouldn't go.
They should just send the medal and the cash to his office in Addis.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 18:26
by Za-Ilmaknun
When you are a Noble prize winner, all the focus is on you for good or worse. Trying to shy away from the spotlight would indeed invite more scrutiny. This is leaving the filed for your opponents to define you and your intentions. It would be a chance to face the questions head on, as there are so many of them, and present your side of the story. As an outsider, I can't tell if there are more pressing issues that prevent the PM from attending the said program. However, from experience we have observed much happenings that have been sidelined that needed his presence and attentions.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 19:08
by Za-Ilmaknun
As expected the negative media blitz has already started from the TPLF den aka Tplfonline.
"Abiy Ahmed becomes an embarrassment and problematic to the Nobel Institute and the Nobel Committee"
http://www.tigraionline.com/articles/pr ... nobel.html
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 19:53
by EPRDF
The Nobel committee had carefully studied to whom to reward their prize this year, and the laureate Prime Ministerkhegna Ductora Obbo Ababiya Ahmed Ali was the only candidate to fulfill the criteria they set to win this prestigious award. He won based on his commitment and the subsequent success of his performance to bring peace in the horn of Africa.
I don't think his winning can be affected by what happened later in the country he rules.
In the country of hundred million, by sitting among Amhara, Tigray and Oromo shiftawoch, Obbokhegna is trying to fix the political damage that has been done throughout the last three-decade. It is understandable.
To be interviewed, well, he is free to accept or to deny. He is the leader of a sovereign country.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 20:14
by Za-Ilmaknun
EPRDF wrote: ↑05 Dec 2019, 19:53
The Nobel committee had carefully studied to whom to reward their prize this year, and the laureate Prime Ministerkhegna Ductora Obbo Ababiya Ahmed Ali was the only candidate to fulfill the criteria they set to win this prestigious award. He won based on his commitment and the subsequent success of his performance to bring peace in the horn of Africa.
What does it mean?
I don't think his winning can be affected by what happened later in the country he rules.
If you are meaning to ascertain that the Prize won't be revoked, I hope it won't. However, discounting the fact that encouraging pursuant actions were absent in the consideration contravenes precedence.
In the country of hundred million, by sitting among Amhara, Tigray and Oromo shiftawoch, Obbokhegna is trying to fix the political damage that has been done throughout the last three-decade. It is understandable.
Yeah, indeed circled by the cannibals and vultures while devoid of swift actions have now come to hunt his forward moves to the extent avoiding what he loves to do.
To be interviewed, well, he is free to accept or to deny. He is the leader of a sovereign country.
I am not sure it is lost on anybody the status of his primer-ship despite the contrary being the message that is constantly portend by his ethnic kin and ones up on a time close comrades. It ain't something to whisky away as a simple interview and recover from it unscratched.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 05 Dec 2019, 22:56
by Revelations
He is not staying home as you assumed. He is going but avoiding his beloved media and the cameras they bring along this time around to avoid being asked some burning questions.
opmerc wrote: ↑05 Dec 2019, 17:34
This is so stupid. He is an active head of state in a country with many pressing issues that need his attention. He skips actually important UN meetings to stay home because of this. Should he carve time out of this insane schedule to go do PR tours for the Nobel committee?
This clearly has nothing to do with 'answering questions' he just ruined the program they arranged and now they are sore about it and whining.
If they wanted a show monkey to dance on command, they should have went to a circus.
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 06 Dec 2019, 13:45
by Revelations
Re: The Peace Prize winner , Abiy Ahimed, refuses to be interviewed when he comes to Norway to receive his prize
Posted: 06 Dec 2019, 13:57
by opmerc
Revelations wrote: ↑05 Dec 2019, 22:56
He is not staying home as you assumed. He is going but avoiding his beloved media and the cameras they bring along this time around to avoid being asked some burning questions.
Make up your mind. Either he loves the media and can't get enough or he is afraid of it. You just scream one or the other based on when it suits you.
His number one obligation is to local media and delivering on their concerns, not to giving press junkets to international media on their time and leisure. I agree he should entertain any scrutiny from any quarter but there is no rule that says it has to be on the same day that is more useful for the country if left as a celebration or if that day conflicts with other engagements. Maybe the reason you are this worked up over it is because you had plans for it to be spoiled and it didn't work out that way for you.
